Apparatus for electrolyzing chiefly alkaline chlorides



APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYZING CHEFLY ALKALINE CHLORIDES Filed Deo. 7. 1925 4 WMA/TUR wel@ /a W /7797/5.

Patented Dec. 31, 1929 nPATENT FFlcE UNITED STATES y .ANDR PAUL HENRI DUPIRE, OF .THIAS, FRANCE APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYZING Cl-IIEFLY ALKALINEV CHLORIDES Application filed December 7, 1926, Serial No.`153,150, and in France March 16, 1926.

My invention relates to electrolyzing apparatuses especially to those adapted to elec trolyze alkaline y chlorides and Generally speaking all substances producing lliquid or gaseous substances. i .y f p The electrolyzing apparatuses used nowadays in the manufacture of soda/and chlorine are of' two classes. 5 y

1. Horizontal diaphragm apparatuses such as the Bilitzer apparatus. They comprise a bell of concrete or heavy stonework containing the anodes, the inlets for the electrolyte and for the heating fluid and the chlorine outlet. The'bell rests on the'diapliragm supported by the cathode, the whole being disposed in the cathodic vat. The result is that each time the diaphragm is t .be changed (i. e. about every three months), the heavy and cumbersome bell must be raisedand removed by means of an overhead traveller and the apparatus taken to'pieces.

2. Vertical diaphragm apparatuses. Such apparatuses are fragile and cannot be used with more than 1000 or 1500 amperes. The soda produced is diluted as the flow is very irregular. The water pressure on the dia- .phragm is very irregular and much greater on its lower part. Besides these apparatuses require considerable supervising because if the level of the electrolyte falls below the top of' the diaphragm the chlorine and hydrogen produced will mix the consequences of .which are, as is well known, disastrous.

The apparatus according to my invention devoid of the drawbacks of this type inasmuch as the anodic bell is stationary and does not require removal when the diahragm or anodes are to be changed. Y

The cathodic compartment supporting the diaphragm can be considered as hung inside the bell through a rod arrangement whereby it can be lowered or raised and consequently the diaphragm can be changed without moving the bell.

Preferably a peripheral fiange is disposed inside the bell. The anodes constituted by graphite bars rest on this flange and are fed with current through graphite rods passing 50 through the bell. For removing the anodes,

' by moving them obliquely.

is of the horizontal diaphragm type but is.

these rods .are first removed from outside afterdisconnecting them from the graphite bars. They are then removed from inside f On the lower side of the bellflange are disposed the diaphragm and cathode which are pressed against the said flange by the edges of a cathodic vat supported by rods adapted to'be raised and lowered with reference to the bell.

In a modified form of construction the anodic and cathodic compartments instead of being separated by a flat diaphragm may be separated by a corrugated diaphragm, the edges of the bell and cathodic vat being correspondingly shaped. The anodic bars which maybe disposed inside the corrugations have thereby an increased active surface.

In view of making the transportation of the electrolyzer easier and oi building it of any desired size, I may build it out of a certain number of parts the two extreme parts closing the bell. These parts are cemented together through a resisting Acement and connected through suitable securing means. Molten basalt may be used to advantage for making up these parts as it is a very good insulating material which resists most chemicals, whereby iron-free clear solutions may be produced in the apparatus.

1 have described hereinbelow with reference to appended drawings several forms of execution of my improved electrolyzing apparatus.

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a first form of execution.

Figs. 2 and 3 are a cross-section and a longitudinal section thereof.

F ig. 4 is a detail plan view.

Fig. 5 is a'longitudinal section of a modified form of my apparatus.

The electrolyzer on Fig. 1 comprises a par alle l-epipedic bell 1 of concrete or other resistingvmaterial; it extends downwards in as many points as may be necessary whereby it is supported by the posts 2 with the interposition of an insulating part 3. Inside and at the lower part of the bell is a flange 4 running longitudinally along the long sides. On

this flange LLrest the anodes constituted by flat graphite bars 5 disposed parallel to each other. Under the flange 4;.is the porous diaphragm 6 and then the cathode 7 appearing as a perforated plate or gauze. The whole rests'on the edges of a shallow parallelepipedic vat 9-supported by the rods 10 held b the threaded rods 11 supported by the ro s l a fluid circulation for instance, of .hotwater -or steam.

The electrolyte is provided in a small reservoir 20 communicating with the bell. 1 through a pipe. 21. A float 22 provided with a rack is disposed in the reservoir and conl trolls the cock 23. The float being adjusted through the rack, the level in the bell'1 can be varied, the tube E34-allowing inspection of The cathodic compartment 9 comprises an outlet 26 for the hydrogen; the soda passes out through the Siphon 27 and the negative terminal of the wire 28 is connected with the cathode. v

The apparatus is very easily takeny to pieces. By unscrewing the nuts 13 the cathodic vat can be lowered when -desired together with the diaphragm which can be changed at will.

On the other hand when the cathodic part 6-7-49 and 10 is lowered, the anodes can be reached. If the rods 16 have been previously removed from outside through the apertures 15, the bars 5 can be removed from below by inclining them a little obliquely.

With suoli an apparatus it is easy to obtain witliNaCl for instance. a soda lye containing 180 gr. of NaOH per litre with aneiiicieiicy as toy curi'ent of 96 to 98% and as to energy of 60 to 85%.

If theelectrolyte weie to fail or its levell to go down below the anode the chlorine and hydrogen could not mix as they would be separated by a thin liquid film.` Moreover the intensity of the current falling to Zero, the gas production would be reduced and even stop. 1t is 'therefore possible to completely drain an electrolyaing apparatus and to prevent'the mixing of the cathodic and anodic solutions. f

.An apparatus as described can be built for large outputs without its taking to pieces becoming a hindrance as two men are Suthcient for any size of apparatus. n

In the modified form shown on Fig. 4 the two long sides of the anodic bell instead of 'showing a flat horizontal lower edge end with The bell is also traversed The projections and hollowso f the two lines lit into 'each other. The cathode and the diaphragm are corrugated in a manner such yas will make their vertical cross-section correspond to the line 30. The anodic bars 31 are comparatively thick and are disposed inside the corrugations.

be built for the same out-put because the bars 31 instead of only having their lower side activev as is the case of the bars 5 have also theirside faces active. ednomy of graphite.

Howevensuch an apparatus shows some of the abovementioned drawbacks of Vthe vertical diaphragm apparatuses. But these drawbacks are minimized by the fact that the height of the bars 32 is always small. On the other hand this apparatus is stronger, less cumbersome and more easily taken to pieces than any other.

Instead of building the apparatus with one large bell 1 it may comprise a number of elements cemented together in order to allow Evidently such an i arrangement allows a shorter electrolyzer to This allows also an it'to be more easily transported, handled and4 adapted to different purposes.

The bell (Fig 2) would in this case comstandard ,parts 1.

The connection between these parts is made along the dotand-dash lines33, 34, the part-s being connected through a chemicalA restisting cement. They are moreover held together by an arrangement of plates and rods, threaded or not, as shown in 35 which preUv vents the parts from separating.

The elements 1, 17 1", 1", can be niade of moulded molten basalt which'shows the considerable advantage of resisting chemical products such as moist chlorine and salt water whereby very pure products are obtained.

rIIhe number of intermediary parts 1 can be increased in view ofproviding an apparatus having a predetermined length. If desired, the cathodic compartment can be formed with a number of parts equal or not to that of the anodic parts.

What I claim is: y

1. f ln electrolyzing apparatus comprising'A a stationary anodicbell, posts on which the said bell is fixed and forming a lower eXtension of the bell, anodes inside the bell, a cathodic yat, means for removably securing said vat inside and at the lower part of said `bellunder the anodes, acatho'de over said vat,

lower edge of the bell, anod'es resting on said flange, a cathodic vat the top edges of which are disposed under said flange, a cathode d1s.`

posed over the vat under said ange, a diaphragm between the cathode and the said flange, a series of horlzontal vertically movable rods disposed under the cathodic vat,

vertical rods removabl supporting the-horizontal rods .and secure to the bell, an electric supply and means for connecting said supply respectively with the anodes and with the cathode.

3. An electrolyzing apparatusl comprising an anodic bell, of molten basaltconstituted by a series of elements cemented and secured together, posts on which the said bell is fixed,

'anodes inside the bell, a cathodic vat removably disposed inside and at the lower` part of saidbell under the anodes, a cathode over said vat, a diaphragm over the cathodeand under the anodes, an electric supply vand means for connecting said supply res actively with the anodes and with the catho e.

4. An electroly'zing apparatus comprising a stationary anodic bell, posts on which the said bell is fixed and forming a. lower exten-J x sionof the bell, a cathodic vatihaving undulating transversal edges, meansAv for'removably securing said vat inside and at the lower part of said .bell under the anodes, acathode tting over said vat, a diaphragm fitted over the cathode andvin the undulations in which :the anodes Iare disposed, .an electric supply andme'ansforsconnectin said supply vrespectively with@ the ao es and with the cathode.

In testimony whereofl have aiiired my signature. 

